Guides: Penn Vet History Resources: Vet Biographies

Penn Vet Alumni and Faculty Memoirs and Biographies

Tales of a Pet Vet by
Dawn Filos (V'92)
Call Number: Atwood Display - SF745 .F55 2024

Publication Date: 2024-10-08

In stories tailor-made for pet lovers, Dr. Dawn Filos shares her good, bad, and messy days on the job, where she creates a way to practice on her own terms with the privilege of unique, intimate access into the homes and lives of her beloved patients and their human families. Sometimes heartwarming, sometimes sad, and often hilarious, this book will resonate deeply with pet lovers everywhere.
Pets and the City by
Dr. Amy Attas ('V87)
Call Number: Atwood Display - SF 613 .A88 A3 2024

Publication Date: 2024-06-18

Dr. Amy Attas graduated from Penn Vet in 1987 along with her blind rescue pug, Bumper. After vet school, she headed home to Manhattan where she has worked as a house call veterinarian for over twenty years. Dr. Attas has seen a lot of spectacular New York City homes and met many celebrities, but the pets are the real protagonists of this memoir.
True Confessions of a Veterinarian: An Unconditional Love Story (Print) by
Gene Witiak (V'63)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.W58 A3 2004

Publication Date: 2004-08-01

Dr. Witiak's stories of the bond between the veterinarian, client, and pet take the reader into the exam room and on house calls to experience the laughable calamities, miscues, and surprises as well as the personal sorrows, revelations, and joys that treating animals can bring.
A Backward Glance: Hounds, Horses, Veterinary Medicine by
H.L.Todd Addis (V'59)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.A33 A3 2008

ISBN: 0764330748

Publication Date: 2008

Dr. Addis has lived an enjoyable life as a family man and country veterinarian in Chester Co., Pa. His memoirs include chapters on his family; random thoughts; his many years of having a veterinary practice; horses and hounds; and hunting. He vividly recounts hunts and many veterinary calls for the reader and includes many pictures to help tell the stories.
No Job for a Lady: The Autobiography of M. Phyllis Lose, VMD by
M. Phyllis Lose (V'57)
Call Number: Atwood Display - SF613.L67 A36

Publication Date: 1979-09-01

In this captivating memoir, Dr. Lose recalls the difficulties she faced in gaining admittance to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine as a woman in the 1950s and the unique challenges of working as the first woman equine veterinarian in the United States.
Tale Waggings: Recollections of a Rural Veterinarian (Print) by
Arthur J. Richards (V'49)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.R53 A3 2002

Publication Date: 2002-02-01

The life story of Dr. Arthur Richards, Jr., is intriguing, starting in his youth with two tragic events that led him to become a veterinarian. Using humor, he describes many tales from his 50 years of treating large and small animals. Dr. Richards entered the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine at 18 years old. His graduating class was only 28, a majority of whom were World War II veterans using their GI bill to go to college. Dr. Richards tells how he established his practice in rural western Pennsylvania and was thrown into unexpected situations, remarking, "They never told me in veterinary school it would be like this."
Animal Patients by
Edward Scanlon (V'45)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.S29 A3 2000

Publication Date: 2000-09-01

Dr. Scanlon recalls the competitive nature of admittance for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and speculates that he was only admitted as “a token minority—a city boy.” Because he attended the school during World War II, the Army had taken over all the graduate schools at the University of Pennsylvania and sped up the coursework in order to increase the supply of doctors, including veterinarians. Dr. Edward Scanlon practiced along Philadelphia's Main Line for decades, often treating pets of the most prominent families. But no matter what their backgrounds were, Dr. Scanlon's patients always surprised him, made him laugh and cry, and showed him the value of the career he chose.
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary (Print) by
Mary Clark Keyser (V'44)
Call Number: Atwood Display - PS3611.E97 M37 2009

Publication Date: 2009-01-01

Veterinary Medicine was completely dominated by men for many years until the late 1930's and 1940's when women tried to apply. The degree covered only two years up until that time and only large animals were studied. It was soon obvious that there were more dog and cat patients than large animals, and the schools had to expand from a two year course to a four year course including small animal pets. There were only ten veterinary schools in the U.S. at that time, and the few women who applied were usually turned down. Now, at least 75% of the students are female, and they specialize in both large and small animal practices.
How Lucky Can You Get!: The Life and Professional Career of James Howard Gillespie, V.M.D. (Print) by
James Howard Gillespie, VMD (V'39)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.G55 A4 2004

Publication Date: 2004

The memoir of Dr. James Howard Gillespie. When Dr. Gillespie attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine previous college experience was not necessary for admittance; he chronicles the academic challenges he faced because of his lack of university training in addition to being a “city slicker” which was considered a disadvantage amongst students who were raised on farms. He attended the University during World War II, so his graduating class was offered a commission as 1st Lieutenants in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps which he accepted upon graduation.
People Are the Funniest Animals by
William H. Waddell (V'35)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.W23 A36

Publication Date: 1978-01-01

One of the first African Americans to practice veterinary medicine in the Unites States, Dr. William H. Waddell uses his own experiences as a veterinarian to explore the social and psychological interaction between man and man, between man and animal, and between people of different races. Dr. Waddell writes about the challenges he faced while attending the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine. He chronicles the push-back he received from administration, faculty, and other students as the only African American student in his graduating class in 1935.
Some Bastardly People by
William H. Waddell (V'35)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.W23 A3 1995

Publication Date: 1995-10-01

Noted veterinarian William H. Waddell shares his impressions & experiences in his latest work encompassing his college years & first jobs as a young black man in the world of medicine. SOME BASTARDLY PEOPLE describes various entries in Dr. Waddell's life involving the "Zeuses" of colleges.
The Animals and I: The Autobiography of a Veterinarian (Print) by
J. Allyn Rogers (V'26)
Call Number: Atwood - SF613.R63 A35

Publication Date: 1975

The memoirs of Dr. J. Allyn Rogers with a focus on illustrating the value of having animals as friends and that they have more personality and intelligence than most humans realize. Dr. Rogers attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine with a graduating class of eight people, mostly veterans of World War I.
The Golden Egg by
Arthur D. Goldhaft (V'1910); Meyer Levin (Editor)
Call Number: Available online or in print at the Katz Center - SF613.G6 A3 1957

Publication Date: 2011-10-01

This autobiography of Dr. Arthur D. Goldhaft recounts his experiences working with chickens and researching the diseases that often killed them in great numbers. Dr. Goldaft recalls his time at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine, including the financial challenges he faced in order to attend the school. While he graduated with a debt to the University, he soon settled his debt and exceeded it with gifts throughout his years as an alumnus, including the creation of the Goldhaft Poultry Research Fund. Also available to read online.
Brandywine Boy by
Adrian R. Morrison, Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Neuroscience and Animal Biology
Call Number: Atwood and New Bolton - SF613.M677 A3 2012

Publication Date: 2013-02-11

"Brandywine Boy" is a memoir that also includes relevant history, social history and explanations of some features of farm animals. The author had a number of Tom Sawyer-like adventures, which included building a log cabin after felling trees with friends 11 to 13 years of age, drinking from a swamp out of necessity, and jumping a barbed wire gate while riding his horse without a saddle. Artist Gayle Joseph has added eleven evocative illustrations.
An Odyssey with Animals (Print) by
Adrian R. Morrison, Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Neuroscience and Animal Biology
Call Number: Atwood - HV4708 .W43 2009
Also available online.

Publication Date: 2009-06-25

In "An Odyssey with Animals," veterinarian and sleep researcher Adrian Morrison argues that humane animal use in biomedical research is an indispensable tool of medical science, and that efforts to halt such use constitute a grave threat to human health and wellbeing.
The Satterfield Flyer by
T. W. Shoemaker
Publication Date: 2015-03-01

Doc Shoemaker's columns were authored 1966-2014. Titled "The Satterfield Flyer" for his love of railroads, they describe everyday country life and people before cell phones, the Internet and fracking. If you don't have ties to Sullivan County, visit with a country veterinarian as your guide and enjoy the sights and sounds of rural Pennsylvania.
Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man by
Brian McGrory, husband of Pam Bendock (V'92)
Publication Date: 2012-11-13

Brian McGrory's life changed drastically after the death of his beloved dog, Harry: he fell in love with Pam, Harry's veterinarian. Though Brian’s only responsibility used to be his adored Harry, Pam came with accessories that could not have been more exotic to the city-loving bachelor: a home in suburbia, two young daughters, two dogs, two cats, two rabbits, and a portly, snow white, red-crowned-and-wattled step-rooster named Buddy. As he learns how to live by living with animals, Buddy, Brian’s nemesis, becomes Buddy, Brian’s inspiration, in this inherently human story of love, acceptance, and change.
Thoughts While Holding a Thermometer: Short Stories of Forty-two Years of Veterinary Practice by
Loy C. Awkerman (V'52)
Publication Date: 1999

A collection of short stories of veterinarian Loy Awkerman. Dr. Awkerman describes veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania as an "obstacle course," noting the difficult coursework and "constant fear of failing," and the sense of humor he developed to handle these stresses. Dr. Awkwerman particularly appreciated the clinical experience he gained during veterinary school, giving him the confidence to start his own practice.
Lions and Tigers and Mares... Oh My! (Print) by
Gay Louise Balliet, wife of Edgar J. Balliet III (V'79)
Publication Date: 2004-10-01

Gay Balliet's passion for potbellied pigs led her to a deepening appreciation of all animals, great and small, and the people who love them. Her travels as assistant to her husband, a large animal veterinarian, take her along the colorful back roads of the Pennsylvania Dutch farm country as well as backstage at circuses, game preserves and even TV shows as the pair make house calls on show horses, elephants, tigers, and hordes of feces-flinging monkeys in this comical and tender tribute to the animal kingdom.
Touched by All Creatures by
Gay L. Balliet; wife of Edgar Balliet (V'79)
Publication Date: 1977-01-01

This is the story of Gay Balliet and Edgar, her veterinarian husband, who tend the health of strange and delightful barn animals, buffaloes, baboons and other creatures large and small in the historically rich and colorful Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Ms. Balliet recalls her husband’s years in veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania, and the financial and emotional hardships required for him to attend the school. She points to his final year at New Bolton Center as pivotal in his veterinary education and his development of a large animal specialization.

Other Animal Memoirs

What It Takes to Save a Life by
Kwane Stewart
Call Number: Atwood Display - SF613.S85 A3 2023

Publication Date: 2023-05-16

Dr. Kwane Stewart was questioning his career as a veterinarian when he saw a homeless man with a flea-infested dog outside of a convenience store. In a moment of spontaneous generosity, he offered to examine the dog and treat him for free. It was the first step in a now nine-year journey that has taken Dr. Kwane from Skid Row to San Francisco and beyond to care for pets and their humans who are living on the streets.
Four Thousand Paws by
Lee Morgan
Call Number: Atwood Display - SF613.M67 A3 2024

Publication Date: 2024-02-27

Few sporting events attract as much attention, or create as much spectacle, as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. While many veterinarians apply, only a small number are approved to examine the elite canine athletes. Veterinarian Lee Morgan gives an intimate look inside the animal mind, and an exciting new account of a storied race.
Cat and Bird by
Kyoko Mori
Call Number: Atwood Display - PS3563.O871627 A3 2024

Publication Date: 2024-03-05

This book is anchored around Kyoko Mori's relationship with the six house cats who defined the major eras of her life as a writer: Dorian, Oscar, Ernest, Algernon, Miles, and Jackson. It is a moving meditation about grief, writing, the imagination, the solitary life, and the wonders of companionship with creatures both domestic and wild.
Moto and Me by
Suzi Eszterhas
Call Number: New Bolton - QL737.C23 E79 2020

Publication Date: 2020-10-15

This book tells the remarkable firsthand story of wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas's care for an orphaned baby wildcat. When a grass fire separates the cat from his family, a ranger asks Suzi, who is living in a bush camp and is skilled with animals, to be the cat's foster mom.

Penn Vet Alumni and Faculty Novels

An Animal Life: The Beginning by
Howard Nelson Krum (V'92) with Roy Pe Yanong (V'92) and Scott Moore (V'92); Patricia Hogan (Illustrator, V'92)
Call Number: Atwood - PS3611.R86 A55 2012

Publication Date: 2012-11-01

The novel "An Animal Life: The Beginning" is a scientific medical mystery (animals and people are dying) and a quest for True Love (with a real cowboy) that unfolds as newbie first-year students struggle to survive the academic gauntlet of veterinary school. If you love animals and ever wondered about going to vet school, here's your chance to experience the joys and challenges without being kicked, scratched or bitten and at 0.00001% the cost of tuition.
An Animal Life: A Chance to Cut by
Howard Nelson Krum; Roy Pe Yanong (As told to); Scott Moore (As told to)
Call Number: Atwood - PS3611.R86 A56 2014

Publication Date: 2014-11-21

Outrunning a broken childhood, Mike London is the vet school's top-dog senior student cruising toward graduation and a coveted internship when a flash of bravado with a blade nearly costs a vital service dog its life. The fatal near miss sends Mike into a tailspin threatening the lives of whales, sea turtles, and first-year students as he wrestles with his boyhood torment and a surgeon hell-bent on seeing him fail. A Chance to Cut is Mike's only chance to heal. In this true-to-life story of heartache and humor, Howard Krum explores "the difference between you and me" through the guiding principle of modern veterinary medicine: all animals (including people) are more alike than different - we all need love to heal that broken part inside.
Just for Kicks by
Lisa H. Handy (V'84); Kate Salley Palmer (Illustrator)
Call Number: New Bolton - PN6231.V48 H36 2012

Publication Date: 2012-03-01

To work with 1,000-pound animals that often seem to be either suicidal or homicidal simply demands a sense of humor. The talents of the author and illustrator combine to wryly express the daily absurdities of being an equine veterinarian.
Bark! Bark! Bark for My Park! (Print) by
Jessica Dimuzio (Photographer, V'78); Johnny Angel; Timothy Wood (Photographer); Janice Phelps Williams (Designed by)
Publication Date: 2012-01-01

Told from the viewpoint of a five-pound Papillon dog, Bark! Bark! Bark for My Park! recounts the true struggle of saving a 690-acre park from destruction. The story demonstrates that no matter what size, age, (or even species) you are, you have the power to make a difference in your world if you use your voice, have passion, and create a plan.

Oral Histories

Interviews with Penn Vet figures: available at the University Archives

           - Allam, Mark W., 1908-
           - Davies, Robert E., 1919-
           - Duebler, M. Josephine.
           - Marshak, Robert R., 1923-
           - Stellar, Eliot, 1919-1993.

American Physiological Society interview with Dr. Adrian Morrison, Penn Vet Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Neuroscience and Past President of the Sleep Research Society and the World Federation of Sleep Research Societies. Author of the books Odyssey with Animals and Brandywine Boy.
An interview with Professor Ralph Brinster by Juan Aréchaga titled "Embryo culture, stem cells and experimental modification of the embryonic genome." Dr. Brinster is a Professor of Physiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine.
An Enduring Veterinary Legacy - a collection by Dr. Donald Smith at Cornell University, includes interviews with many prominent veterinarians including Dr. Charles Raker.
An interview with Dr. Gilbert Hoppenstedt, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, class of 1940. Dr. Hoppenstedt is interviewed along with his brother, Dr. Clifford Hoppenstedt, a 1935 graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. This interview draws out the similarities and differences between the two educational settings in the 1930s. Interview by Dr. Donald F. Smith, Austin O. Hooey Dean Emeritus of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Watch five short videos featuring former Dean, Joan Hendricks V'79 GR'80 talking with Drs. Elaine Hammel, V’60, and Jill Beech, V’72, reflecting on the untold stories of their challenges and breakthroughs as some of the first women to pursue careers in veterinary medicine, not only within Penn Vet, but within the profession.

In Memoriam

Charles F. Reid, DVM, MS (1933-2009)
Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, memoriam ACVR
William Harker Rhodes, VMD, M.Med.Sci (1925-2010)
v '55 Professor of Radiology, Penn Vet, memoriam ACVR
Josephine Deubler, VMD (1917-2009)
first female graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1938 - JAVMA requires subscription
Leonard Pearson, VMD (1868-1909)
State Veterinarian of Pennsylvania; Dean of Veterinary College of University of Pennsylvania
Deaths reported in Penn Almanac 2007-2016